Events

Measurement-induced localization of an ultracold lattice gas

Mukund Vengalattore, Cornell University

The act of observation has profound consequences on a quantum system. I will describe our experimental demonstration of a Heisenberg microscope based on nondestructive imaging of a lattice gas. We show that the act of imaging these atoms induces their localization - a manifestation of the quantum Zeno effect.

A deterministic polynomial time algorithm for word problem for the free skew field

Ankit Garg, Princeton University

We study the word problem for the free skew field of non-commutative rational functions. We prove that an existing algorithm due to Gurvits is actually a deterministic polynomial time algorithm for this problem (over the rationals). Our analysis is simple, providing explicit bounds on the "capacity'' measure of totally positive operators introduced by Gurvits.

Applications of order isomorphisms of C*-algebras

Fred Shultz, Wellesley College

We will review known results about order isomorphisms of C*-algebras,
and will describe some applications to complete positivity of maps and
a generalization of the Choi matrix. (This is joint work with Vern Paulsen.)
Then we will describe some applications to quantum information theory.

What are the properties of the electromagnetic field radiated by a quantum conductor, or how to generate entangled radiation with a normal metal ?

Bertrand Reulet, University of Sherbrooke

​A classical current in a conductor radiates a classical electromagnetic field. We explore some properties of the field radiated by a conductor when electron transport must be described by quantum mechanics, i.e. when the electron current becomes quantum itself.

How hard is deciding trivial versus non-trivial in the dihedral coset problem

Nai-Hui Chia, Pennsylvania State University

The dihedral coset problem (DCP) is an important open problem in quantum algorithms and has been studied since the early days of quantum computing. This problem attracts attention even from experts in cryptography due to its application to the lattice-based cryptosystems. It has been shown by Oded Regev in 2005 that the DCP has deep connections to the unique shortest vector problem and the random subset sum problem.

Hao Qin, Telecom ParisTech

We report a quantum hacking strategy on a Continuous-Variable (CV) Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system by inserting an external light. In the implementations of CV QKD systems, transmitting openly local oscillator pulses is a potential vulnerability for an eavesdropper to launch side channel attacks. In this work, other than targeting on local oscillator, we concern two imperfections in a balanced homodyne detector used in CV QKD system: the imbalance in the beam splitter and the finite linear detection limit.

Towards demonstration of Majorana-based topological qubits

Karsten Flensberg, Niels Bohr Institute

The first part of the talk presents recent progress in the search for condensed matter systems hosting Majorana bound state in semiconductor-superconductor nanowire-based heterostructures. In the second part a proposal for the next steps towards manipulation of quantum information stored in topological qubits is presented.

Sample-optimal tomography of quantum states

Nengkun Yu, IQC

It is a fundamental problem to decide how many copies of an unknown mixed quantum state are necessary and sufficient to determine the state. Previously, it was known only that estimating states to error ϵ in trace distance required O(dr2/ϵ2) copies for a d-dimensional density matrix of rank r. Here, we give a theoretical measurement scheme (POVM) that requires O((dr/δ)ln(d/δ)) copies of ρ to error δ in infidelity, and a matching lower bound up to logarithmic factors.

Sean Walker of the Department of Chemistry will be defending his thesis:

Molecular nanomagnets for novel spintronics devices

Sean is supervised by Professor Jonathan Baugh.

Quantum Max-flow/Min-cut

Xingshan Cui, University of California, Santa Barbara

The classical max-flow min-cut theorem describes transport through certain idealized classical networks. We consider the quantum analog for tensor networks. By associating a tensor to each node in an integral flow network, we can also interpret it as a tensor network, and more specifically, as a linear map.